Getting You Home
by Laura17
Summary: One-Shot Song Fic set after 15 it's written in Joe's POV


**I do not own any of the characters in this story. I do not own the song referenced in this story. I write for my enjoyment only and I post for your enjoyment. A special thanks to NittyGirl for her help with this story. **

It's been a year**,** exactly**,** since Stephanie and I went back **"**on.**" ** The last break up, otherwise known as the Great Peanut Butter Battle, is the final one, I hope.It had certainly given both of us time apart, time to think, time to know what we really wanted. I'd been almost certain she would run to Ranger**,** especially when I'd found out she was working for him again, but that wasn't the case. We were apart for 4weeks and I was angry. She'd said things that cut like a knife. I wasn't ready to see her when I got the call from Connie that brought her back into my orbit. I later found out she wasn't ready either**.** I had made her swear off men. Her mother had accepted that we were over; however, had not accepted that Stephanie was through with men all together. That turned out to be a good thing for me**,** because the losers Mrs. Plum set her up with made my 'man-hating' qualities pale by comparison.

Lula and her severed head was the first step in bringing us back together. A lot of talking and understanding was the beginning to the road to recovery. That road lead to compromise, understanding that certain things needed to change and certain things could not be changed. We had to decide what was important and what we could accept. I am a man**.** I am a man's man**,** and that wasn't going to change**,** neither was the fact that I was Italian and had the temper to go with it. She needed to be independent and I had to admit it was one of the things I love about her**. ** I just hated how she went about it. She wanted to keep working for her cousin Vinnie and for Rangeman, too. I wasn't sure which I hated more.

One of the most painful heart-to-heart talks we'd had was about her job at Rangeman. I needed to know what her job description was**.** I needed to know the boss wasn't taking benefits. The talk was made a little easier because we'd had it lying naked and sweaty in my bed, but still it had hurt to hear her finally admit to me that she found Manoso sexually attractive.

I'd known this. I'm not dumb and had always expected they knew each other in that way**. ** I just had to make sure it wasn't still happening. She told me it was only once. I asked when, but I was pretty sure I knew**. **Stephaniehad been different when we got back together after Abruzzi**. F**or a long time she wouldn't look me in the eyes when we made love. It was like she was fighting the guilt. I've hated him even more for making her feel guilty.

She explained that while she might find him attractive**,** she also finds him empty, her word not mine**.** I found her definition of the emotionless, dark, mysterious man accurate. He was empty. She told me she loved him but that there were many kinds of love. She loved him as a friend**,** someone that she could always trust and count on to be by her side "but she would never be truly with him like she was me." She could trust him with her life**, **but her heart**,** she'd said**,** belonged to me. After that conversation we made sweet love the rest of the night. It was the final step we had to take. We spent 4 weeks apart finding out what we wanted and we spent the next 4 weeks finding out how to make it work. We still hit road bumps from time to time**,** but they are just small hurdles we jump over with ease**,** now that the big ones are cleared.

This brings us up to tonight**. ** I'm standing here looking in the mirror**. ** I hate wearing a tie**,** but the suit does look good on me. I'm taking Stephanie to Il **M**egliowhich means _the best_ and they mean it. They have the best Italian food, wine, music**. **You name it**,** they have it, and it is the best. My brother Tony suggested the restaurant. I had to promise the owner to erase some pretty hefty traffic tickets to get a reservation there**,** but if all goes as planned tonight**, **I would have looked the other way on a murder case, well … maybe not that far.

I'm ready to go**. ** Stephanie's been in the bathroom for over an hour. I know she will look great. She always does**,** but I still can't wait to see her. As she emerges down the stairs she doesn't disappoint**. ** I feel my slacks get a little tighter and realize I'm holding my breath when she asks**, **"Are we ready, Joe?"

"Oh yeah!" I reply. Am I elegant, or what?

_Tuxedo waiters, black tie,  
white table clothes and red wine,  
we've been planning, this night,  
looking forward to it,for some time  
now honey I know you love getting dressed up,  
and you know I love showing you off,  
but watching your baby blue eyes, __dancing__ in the candle light glow,  
all I can think about, is getting you home,_

The restaurant does not disappoint either. It is as stunning as Stephanie. We are shown to our table and the wine is bought out. As I look over my glass into her eyes I feel nervous, the pit of my stomach is churning over and over. "You**'**re beautiful" I finally am able to get out**.**

"You're not so bad yourself**,**" she tells me**.**

God**,** I talk to her everyday**,** but tonight**,** of all nights**,** I can't form an intelligent sentence to start a conversation. "Let's dance**.**"

I offer her my hand across the table and we walk out to the dance floor. I'm no Fred Astaire**,** but when I pull Stephanie close to me nature takes over and I seem to know what I'm doing. I breathe in her scent as I ask into her ear, "Are you enjoying the night?"

"So far**,**" she tells me**.** "It is a really nice restaurant, thank you for bringing me here Joe."

"I wanted tonight to be special Cupcake, this last year we have been though a lot and I wanted to celebrate somewhere that was just as magnificent as you are."

"I think you've had too much wine, Joe**,**" she laughs**.** "But that is really sweet**,**" she tells me with her lips just inches from mine**. **She finishes by pulling me those few inches closer to meet her lips in a soft and promising kiss.

_  
[Chorus]  
__Walking__ through the front door, seeing your black dress hit the floor, uh honey there sure ain't nothing, like you loving  
me all night long, and all I can think about is getting you home,_

I don't need this menu, no I don't,  
I already know just what I want,  
did I hear you right, did you tell me,  
go pay the waiter and lets leave,  
now honey I know by that look in your eyes,  
and your hand drawing hearts on mine, that our night out of the house, ain't gonna last too long,  
when all you can think about, is getting me home,

The band takes a short break and we make it back to our table to order. Our hands never separate**. ** I need to be connected to her somehow**, **anyhow**, **right now and she seems to feel the same way. As we scan the menu in front of us**,** we both decide on the Tortellini**. **Her's, the seafood**. **Mine**,** the sausage. I hope they go easy on the garlic I have big plans for tonight. We sit close together**,** our legs intertwine under the table and I'm finally able to have a normal conversation with her**,** as she asks, "So**,** you never did tell me about the call you went out on this morning?"

"It's really not appropriate dinner conversation**,** Cupcake," I tell her, and it wasn't**. ** A 23 year old girl was raped and brutally murdered in the park the night before. She was the 3rd one in 6 weeks. So I counter by saying**,** "How was your day? Anything interesting turn up?"

"Lula and I finally got Ted Shumaker rebooked**.** I found him hiding out at his girlfriend**'**s house**.** His wife called it in to me**.**"

"Yeah**,** I heard you brought in a naked guy with his solider still saluting**,**" I laugh at the memory of that call from Big Dog**.**

"Well**,** we wrapped him in a blanket**,** but apparently the cuffs were getting him excited_,_" she reported with a shiver. "Lula and I decided to take the rest of the afternoon off and went shopping**.** That's where I got this dress for tonight**,**" she tells me**.**

"I think you made a great choice, what else did you buy?" I was hoping shopping included a stop at her favorite store and mine, Victoria Secrets.

"Why don't you get the dinner to go and you can find out**?**" She never disappoints and she didn't have to ask me twice**. ** I flagged down our waiter**. **The Tortellini along with two slices of Tiramisu was boxed up in to-go cartons and we were on our way home.__

[Chorus]

Walking through the front door, seeing your _black dress__ hit the floor, uh honey there sure ain't nothing like you loving me  
all night long,  
and all I can think about, all I can think about,  
all I can think about, is getting you home._

Our hands are all over each other on the ride home. I let mine slide up her thigh to find she has on thigh highs and a garter belt. "Did I ever tell you about my fantasy with you in only stockings and a garter belt?" I ask**.**

"Do tell**,**" she encourages**,** as she runs her hand up my inner thigh.

"You, as an old west saloon girl**,** and me**,** coming in from the dusty trail**.**" I have to pull over to the shoulder of the road telling her the fantasy as it flashed by in my mind was too much. I need to kiss her. I pull her to me and our lips meet in a mad passion**. **As we separate for air**,** I realize this is the moment**. **Maybe the restaurant would have been better**,** but this**, **right here**, **isthe moment. I reach into my coat pocket**. ** I can see her blue eyes shining in the moonlight**.**

"Marry me please**,**" I'm not sure how she's going to answer**,** but I have to ask. I've been carrying that ring around since the last time I asked**.** I'd bought it right before we broke things off and never gave it to her. The time wasn't right then, but now this … this is our moment. I never knew her eyes could shine that brightly, but as she says "Yes**,**" her beautiful blue eyes are shining like brand new jewels. Oh shit! She said yes!!! We can't get home fast enough**. T**hank God, we're already back in the Burg and no one will pull me over for driving like a bat out of hell. We get out of the truck and I back her up to the door**. **Our lips never parting**. **Our hands never leaving the other**'**s body. I fumble for the keys and somehow manage to get the door unlocked and us inside**,** before the black dress is on the floor.


End file.
